Physicians Express Negative Views of Obama's Health Care Reform Plan

Flemington, NJ, March 2, 2009 – A new national study among 526 primary care physicians revealed that the majority (61%) reported that health care delivery will “get worse” in the next four years, after viewing video segments from President Obama’s speech to Congress.

The study was conducted by HCD Research during February 26-27 to obtain physicians’ perceptions on President Obama’s new health care reform plan that was outlined in his speech to Congress on February 24, 2009.

Nearly half (49%) of respondents indicated that skepticism was the emotion they felt most while watching President Obama outline his new health care reform plan. When asked how they thought their professional life would change in four years, the majority (64%) thought it would get worse.

Among the findings:

“Which of the following emotions did you feel the most while viewing the speech?
Please select the one emotion you felt most.”

Total(n=526)

Anger

10%

Inspiration

21%

Sadness

1%

Skepticism

49%

Confusion

2%

Disturbing

12%

Embarrassment

1%

Pride

3%

Happiness

1%

“In four years from now, how will your professional life change?”

Total(n=526)

It will get better

14%

It will get worse

64%

It will stay the same

21%

“In four years from now, how will health care delivery in general change?”

Total(n=526)

It will get better

20%

It will get worse

61%

It will stay the same

18%

While viewing the video clip, participants indicated their levels of agreement by moving their mouse from left to right on a continuum. The responses were recorded in quarter-second intervals and reported in the form of curves. The participants were also post-viewing questions.

The Media Curves web site provides the media and general public with a venue to view Americans’ perceptions of popular and controversial media events and advertisements.

Editors/Reporters: For more information on the study, or to speak with Glenn Kessler, president and CEO, HCD Research, please contact Vince McGourty, HCD Research, at (908) 483-9121 or (vince.mcgourty@hcdi.net).